While we’ve covered several of Goodsmile’s Nendoroid figures here over the past year or so, this is among the few that struck me as so incredibly, mind-bogglingly cute that I had no choice but to pick it up. It seems I was not alone in this sentiment, as following her street date last week she was barely on the shelves in Akihabara long enough for the blogs to photograph her before she disappeared, gone from the racks of both brick and mortar and online shops with nary a trace. A look at what all the excitement was about lies below:

A bit of background for those who have been living under a rock for the past year and a half: Nagato Yuki is one of the three core female members of the SOS-dan, a club formed by Suzumiya Haruhi in the story of her eponymous novel series, manga, and anime. Nagato is quiet, emotionless, and some sort of robot. She thinks Hyperion is unique.

If there was ever a figure that called for an irrationally exhuberant deluge of emoticons this is certainly it. :3 The Haruhi and Mikuru Nendoroids are nice, but don’t quite capture the essence of their respective characters in the way that this one does. Crafting a deformed version of a character that “feels” the same as the original is a challenging task indeed, and one to which sculptor Ageta Yukiwo has risen admirably; for a figure series designed with uniform continuity in mind it’s amazing how the little details can make or break a kit like this.

The lack of intricate details coupled with automated painting processes allow Nendoroid figures to conform to a uniformly high standard of quality, and this Nagato is no exception; while a Nendoroid can’t rise to the sheer impact or presence of a larger, more elaborate kit, when compared to similar offerings I find the aesthetic balance to be quite charming indeed. Translation: she’s cute. Highly recommended.

Overall Score: 9/10

Word on the street is that she’ll be available domestically in the US via AAA Anime, so those interested should keep a lookout at their local e-retailer come this fall.